Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Sept. 3: North Central College Cardinals (0-0) at Robert Morris University-Chicago Eagles (0-0)

Kickoff: 7 p.m., Morris Field
Video: www.eaglesportsnetwork.com/??????
Radio: 89.1-FM WONC
Live Stats: www.eaglesportsnetwork.com
Game Updates: @NCC_Athletics
Series History: first meeting

Setting the Scene: A new season begins in a new location for the Cardinals, as they make their inaugural trip to Arlington Heights to face off against an opponent which has emerged as a competitive program in its first few years of varsity play.

Series History: This is the first football meeting between the two institutions. 

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 13 in the D3football.com Preseason Top 25. The Cardinals also appeared in the top 25 in two national preseason publications, sitting 16th in the Top 25 published by Lindy's Sports Annuals and 23rd in the Top 25 Poll produced by The Sporting News.

Scouting the Eagles: Robert Morris opened competition at the varsity level in football in 2011 and got up to speed quickly in the NAIA's Mid-States Football Association, posting eight-win campaigns in 2012 and 2014 before a 6-4 finish last season.

The highlight of the Eagles' 2015 campaign was a 30-21 victory over then-No. 1-ranked Marian University (Indiana) at Morris Field, as they outscored the Knights, 20-7, in the second half as part of a 3-0 start to the season. 

Robert Morris' lone contest against a NCAA Division III opponent last year was in its season opener against the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which resulted in a 23-21 win. The Eagles are 3-0 all-time against Division III teams, defeating Oshkosh twice and Olivet College (Michigan) once.

The Eagles employed a balance offensive attack in 2015, averaging 169.6 yards per game rushing and 176.6 per game passing, but are tasked with replacing their leading rusher and passer from a year ago. 

Last year's leading receiver, senior wideout Montre Lee, returns as the only target with more than 10 catches in 2015. Senior Kenyatte Allen and junior Barrington Thomas are the most experienced options at quarterback and running back, respectively. 
Senior linebacker Dontaye Johnson anchors the defense, having led the Eagles in tackles (93) and tackles for loss (13) last season, while senior defensive back Deion Carter made 51 tackles, intercepted two passes and recovered three fumbles. Robert Morris allowed 312.7 yards and 20.5 points per game in 2015.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central enters 2016 with a veteran roster, claiming a wealth of experience at nearly every position. 

The Cardinals have two returning First Team All-CCIW selections in Austin Breunig (running back) and Tyler Oakley (return specialist). Breunig also earned Third Team All-North Region honors after rushing for 1,186 yards and a single-season school-record 18 rushing touchdowns.

Breunig stepped in as a substitute for injured tailback Oshayne Brown early last season. Brown, a First Team All-CCIW selection in 2014, took a medical hardship last year and returns to the field this season as well. 

North Central also returns two Second-Team All-CCIW picks on offense in wide receiver Alex Ulmer and offensive lineman Joe Fehrle. Ulmer was the Cardinals' leading receiver (38 catches, 654 yards, four TDs) in 2015.

The defense is led by returning Second Team All-CCIW honorees Justin Stuursma and Tommy Sora. The two linebackers paced North Central in tackles with 75 and 66, respectively, and Stuursma also turned in a team-best 15 tackles for loss.

North Central Career Rankings:  Warden ranks fifth in North Central history in career touchdown passes (28), while kicker Dom Zavaglia ranks second all-time in extra points (88) and fifth in field goals (17).

Warden also ranks seventh all-time in passing yards (2,172) and ninth in completions (141),  Ryan Kuhl is 11th in receiving touchdowns (10) and Randolph sits 12th in rushing touchdowns (18) and total touchdowns (20).

Zavaglia and Randolph rank 12th (139) and 15th (120), respectively, in career scoring.

Breunig's 14 rushing touchdowns tie him for second on North Central's all-time single-season list, trailing only the 17 TDs scored by Nick Kukuc '13 in 2012. Breunig also ranks fifth in total touchdowns, ninth in rushing yards (994) and 10th in all-purpose yards (1,189).
 
North Central vs. the NAIA: This week's game is the Cardinals' first against a NAIA opponent since a 70-26 victory over Bethel University (Tennessee) on Sept. 10, 2011. North Central put the game away early with a 35-point second quarter and totaled 392 rushing yards in the Cardinals' first NAIA encounter since the NCAA's creation of Division III in 1973.

This is the first of two straight games against NAIA opposition for North Central before CCIW play opens Sept. 17 at Illinois Wesleyan.

Cardinals Across the Pond: North Central's first game during the 2016 calendar year was played in June, as they recorded an 82-0 victory in Scotland over the East Kilbride Pirates, one of the United Kingdom's top clubs.

The game was the culmination of a weeklong trip which also took the Cardinals to Ireland, offering opportunities for profound cultural exchange as well as spectacular sightseeing.

In Ireland, the Cardinals discovered the spectacular Cliffs of Moher and visited the Aran Islands, Galway and Dublin, where they toured Croke Park Stadium (the home of Ireland's Gaelic Games), the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) Museum and the Guinness Storehouse. 

They made a brief stop in Belfast before catching a ferry to Cairnryan and transfered to Glasgow to prepare for the game against the Pirates. Before returning home, the Cardinals also spent time in Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, and visited Edinburgh Castle.

Highlights of the game against East Kilbride included five rushing touchdowns by Jack Dibble and a 66-yard punt return touchdown by Jason Ochoa. Ulmer found the end zone twice, while Broc Rutter, Cory Hartema, Bart Diehl and Mike Riggio each scored once.

This was the fourth overseas trip for the North Central football program. The Cardinals previously traveled to Italy (2006), Switzerland (2009) and Spain (2013).

North Central Career Rankings:  Brown and Breunig currently rank 14th (1,374) and 19th (1,233), respectively, in the Cardinals' history in career rushing yards. Breunig also ranks 12th in rushing touchdowns (18) and 15th in total touchdowns (18).

Quarterback Justin Hunniford currently sits 11th all-time in touchdown passes (10), 12th in completed passes (115) and 14th in passing yards (1,500).

Ryan Kuhl ranks 11th all-time in touchdown receptions (10) while Ulmer ranks 19th (7). Ulmer is also 19th in school history in receptions (49) and 20th in receiving yards (826).
 
CCIW Preseason Poll: The Cardinals were ranked second to defending champion Wheaton by just a single point in the CCIW's annual preseason coaches' poll.

The Cardinals received 60 points and four first-place votes in this year's voting, while Wheaton received 61 points and five first-place votes. North Central and Wheaton were ranked either first or second on each of the nine coaches' ballots, and one or both teams has won or shared the CCIW title in each of the past 10 seasons.

Illinois Wesleyan is ranked third in this year's preseason poll with 49 points, followed by Carthage (41), Augustana (39), North Park (25), Carroll (21), Millikin (15) and Elmhurst (13). Carroll returns to the CCIW this season for the first time since 1991.

'Red Zone' Returns in 2016: Once again, fans of North Central College football can get an insider's look at the Cardinals' football program, as 'The Red Zone' highlight show returns for its ninth season on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17.

The show airs each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and midnight, Friday at 8:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 11:30 p.m., Saturday at 8:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. It will feature interviews with coaches and players, highlights of the previous week's game, and a look ahead to the upcoming opponent.

Each show is viewable online at nctv17.com and is archived at youtube.com/northcentralsports as well as the newly-redesigned northcentralcardinals.com.